ATKINSON RESORT & COUNTRY CLUB NAMED NGCOA 2015 COURSE OF THE YEAR

February 27, 2015

Contributions to Game of Golf and Community Recognized at Annual Conference

The National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) has named Atkinson Resort & Country Club in Atkinson, NH as its 2015 National Golf Course of the Year. The club was honored today at the association’s Annual Conference, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show.

The award is predicated on four factors:

– Quality of golf course

– Quality of ownership and management

– Outstanding contributions to the local community

– Significant contributions to the game of golf

“We had a lot of very strong entries again for course of the year,” said Mike Hughes, NGCOA’s Chief Executive Officer. “But when you step back and consider all factors, none were stronger than Atkinson Resort & Country Club.”

Located in the small, 250-year-old town of Atkinson in southeastern New Hampshire, the par-72, 18-hole public course rolls across 420 acres of field and forest. It opened with nine holes in 1996 with the back-nine completed two years later. A par-3 course opened in 2009 and quickly earned PGA Family Course designation.

Privately owned, the club is the crown jewel of the third-generation Lewis family’s business enterprise which includes local lumber and building-supply interests, home and apartment building, a private water company serving nearly half the town’s residents, and land development.

Atkinson Resort & Country Club has a premier practice facility featuring 15,000 square feet of grass tees, a 12,000 square-foot putting green, multiple bunkers, and a 65-yard short-game practice hole. Despite the sometimes harsh New England weather, golfers can hone their skills year-round. The club has heated hitting bays, a winterized driving range, and an indoor gaming room with four highly sophisticated, 3D golf simulators, offering 35 courses from which to select.

Its 75,000 square-foot clubhouse features two restaurants, 16 overnight guest rooms, and large, elegant function space to host weddings, special events and business meetings.

Atkinson Resort and CC is deeply vested in the local community. Each year, the club hosts a Christmas Tree Lighting with a wide variety of family-friendly activities. The 45-foot tall, live Christmas tree is donated, installed and decorated by the family business. In the spring, the club hosts a tournament benefitting the local Boys and Girls Clubs.

A nearby high school enjoys unlimited practice and play opportunities at the club, including the services of one of Atkinson’s golf staff who serves as head coach. The club also supports local youth baseball and softball, offers educational scholarships to students, has an active player development initiative at five local elementary schools, and donates supplies and labor to periodically refurbish facilities at the local YMCA camp.

Other finalists for the 2015 National Golf Course of the Year included Currahee Club (Toccoa, GA), Haggin Oaks Golf Complex (Sacramento, CA), and The Legend at Shanty Creek Resorts (Bellaire, MI).

The NGCOA’s Annual Conference, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show, is the golf industry’s largest gathering of owners and operators of daily fee, private, resort and municipal courses.

About the NGCOA

The National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) is the leading authority on the business of golf course ownership and management. The Association represents key decision-makers with ultimate responsibility for golf courses throughout the world. Through advocacy, information resources, purchasing programs and networking opportunities, the NGCOA helps golf course owners and operators run more successful businesses. For more information, visit www.ngcoa.org or call 1-800-933-4262.

About Atkinson Resort & Country Club

Atkinson Resort & Country Club is a state-of-the-art resort open to the public located at 85 Country Club Drive in Atkinson, New Hampshire, just minutes off Routes 495 and 93. The resort is home to one of New Hampshire’s finest public 18 Hole Par 72 golf courses and best practice facilities in New England. It is also home to the Willowcreek Golf Academy featuring PGA instructors, indoor/outdoor teaching studios and the V1 Pro golf video swing analysis software program. A 9 Hole Par 3 course also graces the property and has earned the PGA Family Course designation.

The public is welcome at the resort’s wood-fired Stagecoach Grille: at Merrill’s Tavern the casual sports bar; and for breakfast at the Cartside Café. Atkinson Resort & Country Club is home to the luxurious Fieldstone Suites with beautifully decorated guest rooms with views of the golf course and landscaped grounds. A highly-coveted wedding spot, Atkinson Resort & Country Club maintains a sterling reputation for guest services and attention to detail. Those who plan business and social events find the elegant meeting and banquet space ideally suited to their needs. For more information, please call 603-362-8700, or visit www.atkinsonresort.com.